IOR/L/PS/10/236

The volume contains telegrams, despatches, correspondence, memoranda, notes, printed reports and a press cutting relating to the arms traffic in Muscat and arrangements for its regulation.

Issues discussed include:

• negotiations between the United Kingdom and France over possible trade-offs in India and Africa for France agreeing to cede its rights in connection with trade and Muscat;
• the approval of rules concerning the warehouse for ammunition;
• The proposed retention of ammunition lying uncleared in the Muscat Customs House on 1 September when the new rules came into force;
• The 1905 Declaration between the United Kingdom and France respecting Egypt and Morocco (ff 110-119);
• Anglo-French diplomacy on the matter involving the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
• correspondence between the French Consul, Muscat and the Sultan of Muscat.

The file includes a press cuttings: from The Times (f 164) 'The Arms Traffic and Muscat: Protest, by French Firms', 13 September 1912.

The principal correspondents in the volume include: the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, Percy Zachariah Cox; the Senior Naval Officer, Persian Gulf; the Political Agent at Muscat; the Viceroy; the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Sir Edward Grey; the Under Secretary of State, Foreign Office; the Ambassador to France, Sir Francis Bertie; the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty.

The volume is part 2 of 7. The part includes a divider which gives the subject and part numbers, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references contained in that part by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence (f 2).